Needle for knitting-machines



N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C

RUFUS ELLIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

NEEDLE FOR KNITTINGr-MACHINES.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, RUFUS ELLIS, of Boston, in the county of Suifolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Needle-Chains of Rotary Knitting-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l, exhibits a front elevation of a portion of one of my improved needle chains; Fig. 2, a front elevation of one needle link thereof; Fig. 3, a side view of a needle link.; Fig. 4, a transverse section of it; Fig. 5, a top view of it.

The endless needle belt on which my improvement is based is of a kind which will be found described in Letters Patent numbered S163, and granted to `William M. Chase, as assignee, July 17 th 1837, the device covered by such patent having been invented by me. A belt of like character will alsor be found in the patent granted to Erasmus French, on the 18th day of March A. D. 1842. During the operation of knitting with such endless needle belts, the performance of the process of narrowing7 requires the removal from the belt of one or more of the needle links as occasion may require. And so with regard to the process of widening the work, such requires the endless chain to be increased in size by the addition of one or more links. 'In the common mode of making these needle chains, their links have been so hinged together that in order to separate one of them from another it became necessary to draw the connecting rod longitudinally, out of the joint of the hinge, t-he said rod being a separate piece of metal. Such an operation often requires much time and trouble to complete it. I have therefore sought to diminish the same, or in other words to so improve the hinge in its construction as to enable its parts to be readily det-ached without the necessity of separating the rod from more than one of them, it being firmly attached to, so as to be a part of the other or male port-ion of the hinge.

In the drawings, each link is represented at A, A, A, as provided in the usual way with a hooked needle, a, which may be arranged either in the plane of the chain or at right angles thereto. The male part Z), of each link is provided with journals, c, d, which extend from it as seen in Figs. 2, and 3 or it may have a. rod extended entirely through it, made fast in it and projecting from it so as to form journals, as shown at c, and d. The female part of the hinge is composed of a recess c, and two socket tubes f', g, or theirv equivalents arranged on the link and with respect to the male part, b, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3. The said female socket is to be constructed in such manner as to enable a male part with its` journals, or the latter to be moved downward and laterally in order to enable a person to detach the said male and female parts from one another, when they make portions of the hinge. For this purpose, I make thc recess c, in length equal to that of one of the journals, c, and the part Z9, from which, it projects, and which is to enter the recess e, of a contiguous link. I also form the lower socket tube g, so much larger in diameter than the journal d, which is to work therein, as to enable the male part of the hinge or the link to be moved laterally out of the recess e, far enough to enable the journal d, to be withdrawn from the tube g. In order to prevent the male and female parts of the hinge from accidentally becoming disengaged, while in engagement, I apply to the socket tube, g, a spring stop z", and so that the same may serve as a shoulder or bearer to keep the journal, c, within its socket tube f, while the chain is in use. In order to detach the male and female parts of the hinge, it will first be necessary, in case a spring stop is used as described, to move said spring stop laterally from underneath the lower end of the part Z). When a chain has its links so constructed it will be an easy matter, either to separate any one from the rest, or to supply such chain with a new link as occasion may require.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim consists in Making the journal, c, cl, or connecting rod of the hinge fastv to the male or entering projection, b, thereof, in combination with so constructing the female socket of the hinge as to enable the male part or its journals to be moved downward and laterally, in order to detach the same from the female part and providing such female part my signature this first day of May A. D. with a spring stop or its equivalent, vvhere- 1856. by when the male and female parts of the hinge of two links are connected together 5 they may be prevented from accidental disengagement as hereinbefore explained.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set RUFUS ELLIS.

Vitnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr. 

